Awards Changes
Debut Novel Guidelines
(Effective for 2026 Awards)
Debut Novel Eligibility Definition Update
The Debut Novel Goldie Award is intended to celebrate excellence in an author’s very first foray into publishing a novel. We recognize the unique challenges faced by an author who does not know from experience the layers of difficulty in getting that first book from blank page to printed word. These particular challenges are only encountered once in an author’s career and achieving excellence in that moment is a unique feat.
To ensure clarity and transparency on what qualifies for the Debut Novel category, the eligibility definition has been updated. The highlighted section indicates the updated wording. Should there be any questions regarding eligibility that are not addressed in this new wording, please email the Awards Administrators at awards@goldencrown.org prior to submitting a nomination.
DEBUT NOVEL
Definition: This category has no genre restrictions, meaning any novel nominated in a judged genre category can also be nominated for the Debut Novel Award. Books must be an author's first novel of any genre (including non-sapphic novels) published in any form (including traditionally published and self-published/indie) under any name (including any current or defunct pen names, aliases, and legal names) and have a minimum of 40,000 words to be eligible for judging. Anthology submissions under 40,000 words, poetry, and nonfiction titles do not count as a previously published novel. Any fanfiction, blog entries, or other fiction works published solely online without an ISBN, no matter the length, do not count as a previously published novel. Finalists are determined by averaging genre-category judges’ scores on 18 essential elements of good novels, plus a 19th cross-genre item common to all novel categories.
Ann Bannon Voting Process
(Effective for 2026 Awards)
In order to more equally weight the two phases of Ann Bannon Award voting (scoring from genre judges and popular vote), the voting process will change for the 2026 season and the voting pool will be larger. The intention of this change is to shift more focus back to the popular vote and also to highlight the excellence in all genre categories.
Any genre category finalist who elected to be included in the Ann Bannon voting will be included in a first round of popular voting. This round will now include the top 25% of all genre category nominees as determined by the judges.
First round ranked-choice voting will take place from April 17th, 2026 through May 1st, 2026. The top 10 vote getters in the first round will be considered finalists for the Ann Bannon Award.
A second round of ranked-choice voting, comprising only those 10 finalists, will take place from May 3rd, 2026 through May 17th, 2026.
The three winners will be announced during the Goldie Awards ceremony on August 8th, 2026 at the Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida.
Eligibility for Awards
(Effective for 2025 Awards)
Audiobooks, books, and covers created by generative aritifical intelligence (AI) are ineligible for a Goldie Award. AI-assisted books and covers are eligible. Nominators must certify agreement with these requirements:
- Audiobooks: Nominated audiobooks must be narrated by humans to be eligible for an Audiobook Narrator Award. Audiobooks voiced by AI technologies are not eligible.
- Books: Nominated books must be written by humans to be eligible for the genre category, Debut Novel, and Ann Bannon awards. AI-assisted books are eligible, by AI-generated books (including those translated into English by AI-driven tools) are not eligible. For submission purposes:
- AI-generated content is defined as text created entirely or in part by AI technologies (e.g., ChatGPT, Jasper, Sudowrite), even if the machine-generated text is later edited, enhanced, or otherwise revised by humans.
- AI-assisted content is defined as text created by humans who use AI technologies collaboratively as aids in the creative process (to check grammar and spelling, suggest synonyms and alternative phrasing, etc).
- Covers: Nominated covers must be designed and crafted by humans to be eligible for the Tee Corrine Award. Covers crafted exclusively by humans or human collaboration with AI-assisted design tools (to remove a background, cut and paste objects from a photo, etc.) are elgible. Covers crafted by generative AI are not eligible.
Previous changes to the awards program can be found HERE.
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